Strung out on meth, Allegan County man locks himself in bedroom with axe and young son

ALLEGAN COUNTY -- A Valley Township man, strung out on meth and believing people were "out to get him," grabbed his son and an axe before locking himself in a bedroom, police said.

Allegan County sheriff's deputies responded Friday afternoon to a Valley Township home on a report of a man who was "tweaking out" on meth and had assaulted two family members.

The man reportedly had not slept for three days. Relatives described him as paranoid and said he had disconnected phones in the house because he thought others were "out to get him."

The man's wife told police he tried to leave the house with the family's TV to sell it, and he assaulted her when she intervened. Police said the man's daughter then tried to call police, but he demanded her cell phone and assaulted her.

Police said the man then grabbed an axe and his youngest son before locking both of them in a bedroom.

Deputies who arrived at the scene managed to eventually talk him out of the bedroom. He was arrested on charges of domestic violence, unlawful imprisonment with a weapon and being a habitual offender.